Lakers' Anthony Davis, Reaves Wow Fans in 2OT Win vs. Giannis, Bucks with LeBron Out
The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Milwaukee Bucks 128-124 in double overtime on Tuesday night, and when you consider the full context of the victory—even outside of the inherent drama that comes with overtime—it may have been their best win of the season.
The Lakers were without LeBron James (ankle soreness). They were on the road against the dangerous Bucks. They came out ice cold, trailing by as many as 19 points in the first quarter. Every run they had across the first three quarters was answered by the Bucks, leading to a 19-point deficit with about eight minutes remaining.
But the Lakers kept fighting, rattling off a 27-9 run that shockingly forced overtime.
And then the game went into a second overtime thanks to an epic block from Anthony Davis:
Finally, mercifully, the Lakers put the Bucks away in the second overtime, as both teams looked visibly gassed.
When the dust settled, the starting trio of Anthony Davis (34 points, 23 rebounds, four blocks in 52 minutes), D'Angelo Russell (29 points, 12 assists) and Austin Reaves (29 points, 14 rebounds, 10 assists) provided spectacular performances for Los Angeles.
And social media had nothing but love for them and for the Lakers in general following an incredible show of grit and resolve:
Giannis Antetokounmpo (29 points, 21 rebounds, 11 assists) paced the Bucks, while Damian Lillard scored 27 points and added eight dimes but shot just 9-of-29 from the field.
The Lakers (40-32) now have won four straight, tying a season-best winning streak. The Bucks (46-26) saw a two-game winning streak snapped.
It didn't look good for the Lakers after a particularly ugly first half. They trailed by 16 points at the break and were just 1-of-13 from three in that time. It cannot be understated how poorly they started.
The Lakers were nearly done in by a poor shooting night (42-of-108 from the field, 38.9 percent) and issues with turnovers (17). They struggled to close quarters, getting close in the second and third before giving up big runs.
They countered with an excellent defensive performance, headlined by AD, and showed no quit despite a number of huge deficits.
Nobody would have blamed the Lakers for losing this game without LeBron, especially when they dug themselves a massive hole on the road against a title contender. But suddenly, a Lakers team that has struggled with consistency all season long is starting to look like a formidable opponent, especially if they continue to play with the same defensive intensity and heart shown on Tuesday.
